Grand Designs

[Roger Evans]

I've just finished watching a TV Programme called Grand Designs

a Truly inspirational TV programme (& Architecture)

Google for Grand Designs & you should come up with
Channel 4.com - Grand Designs

This week was a house in Argyle Scotland ~ magic to watch & the web site ain't bad either.

(sorry I tried copying link but wouldn't work)

Cheers

Roger

[Scott D Davis]

link:

http://www.channel4.com/life/microsites/0-9/4homes/grand_designs/

[Roger Evans]

Well Thank you Scott

You should check out the Archive section ~

Me I'm off to get p.......

[Phil Palmer]

Good programme last night I thought Roger.

A real hands-on type of architect there. It must of been great for him to appear to have designed his dream home although it was not his at the end.
I bet he got a good fee

[Roger Evans]

Good Fee? By rights he should have but I reckon if he totalled his hours
he wouldn't have much more than the min wage & That's a trap I'm trying hard to get out of.

Given the earlier problems I take my hat off to him for rolling up his sleeves & getting on with it

Yes he did design for himself ~ but that's architects for you

What surprises me is that there is no contact link to the guy

Wonderful programme nonetheless

[PeterJ]

I don't much like Grand Designs from an architectural perspective as it needs to be cut to make for good TV and therefore often concentrates on any battle that may have occurred and that will often paint the architect in a bad light.

On the other hand it does make for some pretty compelling TV.

I thought the incorporation of the cruck frame in the design yesterday was a little crook, but maybe that's just me.

[Roger Evans]

OK Just watched the last in the series very interesting.

What stunned me was the cost of the build project albeit it did include some pretty high tech equipment.
175m2 (1885 sq ft) for £300,000
£1,715 per sq m (£155 sq ft)

This design was based on pretty much international construction methods Especially comparable to American Australian NZ so the thought occurs ...

What cost would you guys expect 175 sq m design for reasonably high spec??
For a basic Residential what pre design costs do you work on per M2 / Ft2 ?

It would be interesting to compare

Cheers

Roger

[PeterJ]

£1,300-£1,500 for residential, including kitchen, sanitaryware, external works, services connections OHP and prelimiaries, but this can easily rise to ££1,900 for something bespoke.

I have been doing several precontract cost analysis with a local QS recently and he has given me these figures for the stuff we are working on based on his recent completed work.

These projects are in upmarket neighbourhoods in the south-east. I have found some people getting labout from the south west or wales and putting them in digs or a caravan and getting the job done cheaper, so your local rates may be different. This practice only works for small jobs though and none of my clients have done it yet, thank god.

[Roger Evans]

Cheers Peter
Seems you are getting involved in some nice stuff
Do you fancy posting up some examples?

If you take a look at Home Building Renovating it seems that the designs start from around £750 £850 per m2 for traditional this applicable to the whole of the UK
Last year they were implying a budget cost of £500 / m2
On that basis I wouldn't imagine the house type Martin P posted recently would climb to £1500 / m2

I would still be interested to compare with American / Australian costs
and the rest of Europe for that matter

Cheers

Roger

[PeterJ]

It is good quality residential work, architecturally nothing to set the world on fire, just big, but yes, I'll post an image or two for you. It may take a while, that's all.

I'm not familiar with Home Renovation or whatever it's called, is it a magazine? Is it trade targetted or aimed at the owner/occupier. I find with stuff like that you need to check very carefully what is included that is why I listed everything including kitchen, prelims and OHP. Also with these higher end residential projects you find that the servicing costs rise in proportion with the budget, such that on a recent project we were looking at an installation that was to cost £55k for mechanicals on a house cost around £750k. It was a big house and we were proposing a pressurised water system with constant circulation, after all if you live in a house with a value of £2M plus you want to have instantaneous hot water wherever you are and that is just not achievable with low cost systems.

It may very well be possible to beuild a simple masonry shell, tiimber first floor, ground bearing slab, Redland 49s on the roof and plastic windows for £650-850 or so, but then you need to service it, carpet it and so on and that is where the real gulf seems to lie.

[Roger Evans]

Yes a magazine take a look & you'll find contemporary & traditional
Some of the traditional designs are dire so be warned.

Some are interesting & don't cost the earth
186m2 for £ 190,000
105m2 for £ 135,000
132m2 for £ 76,000

www.homebuilding.co.uk/Readers.Homes.asp

The last 2 above compare favourably with featured houses in Grand Designs & at the cost they look to have been done extremely well
proving that good design doesn't have to cost an arm & a leg.

[aggockel50321]

but then you need to service it, carpet it and so on and that is where the real gulf seems to lie.

An area that never seems to get discussed on any show or article about these McMansions.

Nice whirlpool tub, but it takes 500 gallons of water to fill it...

And there's always the tax bill...

[PeterJ]

Building work here attracts VAT, similar to your sales tax, but not applied to necessary items, so childrens clothing and grocery foods are exempt, but McDonalds and natty new gadgets to play with are not. New housing is VAT exempt so there is no associated tax bill. The big houses are still prone to all the normal taxes, property rates and so on though.

Incidentally, dipping in at random to the website, Roger, I found several houses that were built using Potton kits and yes, these can help keeps costs very low, but limit your design opportunities.

I'll check with my QS and if he is happy for me to do so I'll post a cost summary that he emailed to me for a 500 plus square metre house, then you'll see how these things are building up.

[Roger Evans]

The cost build up will be interesting Peter if you are allowed to post it

As regards the Web site not all the examples were Kits & the ones I selected as examples were all bespoke "contemporary" construction
each would be a good candidate for Grand Designs.

Cheers for now

Roger

[PeterJ]

Is it still the BT internet address, Roger?

[Roger Evans]

Yes Peter

But also

info@rogerevansdesign.co.uk

[PeterJ]

Nice holding page

[blads]

Roger


Some of the traditional designs are dire so be warned.

Some are interesting & don't cost the earth
186m2 for £ 190,000
105m2 for £ 135,000
132m2 for £ 76,000


From a South Australian perspective, a high end finish, one would expect as a starting point (with no air conditioning)
186m² for $242,000 or about $1300 per m²; or about
$1600/m² (with air con)

[funkman]

Sydney eastern suburbs:
High end design per sq.m = minimum $A3500 upwards.
Standard = allow minimum $3000 per sq.m

Even higher for alts and adds.

This is not good for my house which is out for tender currently :(


Sydney west:
Standard = allow minimum $2400 per sq.m

[beegee]

Sydney eastern suburbs:
High end design per sq.m = minimum $A3500 upwards.
Standard = allow minimum $3000 per sq.m

Even higher for alts and adds.

This is not good for my house which is out for tender currently :(


Sydney west:
Standard = allow minimum $2400 per sq.m

Thanks for reminding me why I live in Brisbane :lol:

[Roger Evans]

Funkman

I remember seeing an impressive house design of yours posted a while back

Is this design for yourself & is this the one now out to tender?

I would have guessed real high end costs on that design

Cheers

Roger

[PeterJ]

There is a very nice new house in Toorack, Melbourne that was published in this months AR too, by BKK Architects. It's a two bedroom gaff, so quite small but rather sexy.

Anyone know anything about it?

[ita]

Depends on what is included.

Package builder, full masonry from $750 to $1000/m2 - shell only, painted plaster, alumin windows, timber or steel framed roof, sheet steel or concrete roof tiles (4 bed 2 bath 2 living spaces) no floor or window treatments, no fences, landscape etc.

Architect designed, med standard, full masonry, no aircon, site works etc around $1150 to $1350/m2 similar accomodation etc to abopve!!

Architect designed, prestige standard, full masonry, aircon, fully designed kitchens and bathrooms etc, floor finishes, intelligent electricals, media backbone wiring, spa, pool landscaping etc $2050 to $3000/m2 :shock:

[funkman]

Funkman

I remember seeing an impressive house design of yours posted a while back

Is this design for yourself & is this the one now out to tender?

I would have guessed real high end costs on that design

Cheers

Roger

Roger, that was of another project currently in Council. I wish that was mine!